Cyclone Bulbul is likely to hit the Sunderban Delta on Sunday along the border between India and Bangladesh with a wind speed of up to 135 km per hour, officials of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Then the cyclone loses some of its power and
again becomes a bad cyclonic storm. The ‘severe’ cyclonic storm Bulbul gathered strength and intensified further into a ‘very severe’ cyclonic storm early on Friday morning. The cyclone is likely to intensify further and move northwards till early morning of November 9. Thereafter, it is expected to re-curve northeast wards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Islands (West Bengal) and Khepupara (Bangladesh), across the Sunderbans delta during the early hours of November 10. As a strong cyclonic storm, Bulbul will cross the coasts with a peak sustained wind speed of 110 to 120 km per hour up to 135 km per hour.
The IMD said Odisha s north coastal districts and West Bengal s coastal districts should receive medium to moderate rainfall in some regions, with strong to very heavy rainfall. Sea situation would be very rough and a storm surge of 1-1.5 meters is likely to flood most low lying areas in West Bengal s coastal areas during the landfall of the cyclone. While it was advised to fishermen not to venture into the sea, the IMD said the storm could destroy mud houses, break trees branches, and snap power lines. All states authorities were required to prohibit beach activities.
The authorities in West Bengal have already started to advise people and fishermen in coastal areas not to go close to beaches and dive into the sea. Watchtowers are being installed and loudspeakers are broadcasting warning messages. At about 8:45 a.m. on Friday, the cyclone was centered about 390 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 530 km southwest of the Sagar Islands in West Bengal. With a speed of 10 km per hour, it was going.
